Academic scientists from INRA (French national agronomic research institute) and breeders from French seed companies have collected natural populations, landraces and old cultivars of grass and legume species bred for forage and turf usage. These genetic sources are maintained as seed lots in cold storage by INRA. Environmental data of natural population collection sites have been recorded. Natural populations have been assessed for functional and agronomical traits in common gardens, and have been qualified for cytological (ploidy level) diversity. These data have been used to determine the relationship between species habitat diversity and species trait and cytological diversity in some sub-genera(Sampoux and Huyghe, 2009). The environmental distribution of trait diversity within species has also been investigated (Sampoux and Badeau, 2009). Landraces and old cultivars have been assessed for agronomical and molecular traits together with recent cultivars in order to understand the impact of human breeding on diversity sown for agricultural and leisure purposes (Flajoulot et al., 2005; Sampoux et al., 2011). Seed lots maintained by INRA are available as genetic resource and diversity study material under demand.

The University Herbaria of Clermont-Ferrand are the third national botanical collection. This is a huge scientific heritage which has more than 430 000 units, combined for four centuries by hundreds of botanists.

The IRD is a unique institution in the landscape of European research for development. Its task is to conduct research in the South, for the South, with the South.
Its researchers are working on issues of major global importance today: global warming, emerging diseases, biodiversity, access to water, migration, poverty, world hunger. The teaching and training they provide empowers and enables Southern scientific communities.